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The present perfect
What is the exact use of present perfect simple tense?
We most often use the present perfect to talk about something that started in the past and continues to the present time. Note the difference in meaning in these two sentences:

- She lived in Cairo for ten years. (She used to live there but she doesn’t live there any more.)

- She has lived in Alexandria for ten years. (She started to live there ten years ago. She still lives there.)

In a similar way, we can use the past perfect with time expressions such as today, this morning, this year only if that period of time has not finished. For example:

- I’ve had three cups of tea this morning. (It is still morning and maybe I’ll have more tea before the morning is finished.)

But in the evening I have to use the past simple:
- I had three cups of tea this morning.

Another example:
- I’ve travelled 10,000 miles this year. (The year is not finished. Maybe I’ll travel more.)
- I travelled 10,000 miles this year. (I don’t expect to travel any more this year.)
- I travelled 10,000 miles last year. (Last year has finished, so I use the past simple.)

It is important to note that we cannot use the present perfect with an expression of time or a particular day — unless, as above, that period of time has not finished.

We often use the present perfect to ask if someone has ever done something in their life. We can only do this for people who are still living because their life continues — remember that the present perfect is for things that continue to the present.

So, we can ask about someone still living this way:
- Has your father ever visited France?

But if the person is dead, we have to use the past simple:
- Did your great-grandfather ever visit France?

We sometimes use the present perfect to talk abut something new that happened in the recent past. News reports often use the present perfect this way:

- Two trains have collided in Germany. (This is something new and happened recently.)
- Two other trains crashed last month. (The past simple is used for something in the more distant past.)

We can also use the present perfect to talk about something that happened at an indefinite time in the past, or that was repeated in the past (and the time is not important.)

- They have moved to another country. (When they moved is not stated.)
- I have told you many times to wash your dishes after you eat. (Something was repeated in the past.)
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………The grammar review based on unit 4 states that one of the usages of the present perfect tense is to show actions which began in the past and are still continuing. We as professionals can understand the tendency of this usage, but can't this cause confusion to the students when they are taught the present perfect continuous?
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English — or any other language — can sometimes be confusing for learners. And although native speakers can use the present perfect and present perfect continuous correctly, most of them would have a hard time explaining the difference between them.

Both the present perfect (PP) and the present perfect continuous (PPC) are used to talk about things that began in the past and continue to the present. The difference could perhaps be thought of in terms of what the verb forms focus on.

The PP focuses more on the time frame, while the PPC focuses more on the action itself and the fact that it is continuing. Also, the PP can have slightly different meaning depending on the context.

Look at this sentence: I have lived in Cairo.
Taken by itself, it would indicate that the time frame (my life) is continuing. So I could add to that I have also lived in Paris and London.
If I add a time phrase, it is clear that I am talking about an action that continues to the present: I have lived in Cairo for six years. (My living there started six years ago and continues to now.)

Using PPC focuses on the continuity of the action itself: I have been living in Cairo (for six years).

Murphy, in his English Grammar in Use, uses the following examples to show the difference in these verb forms:

- Someone is painting a ceiling. She is in the middle of the job. She has been painting the ceiling.

- Someone has just finished painting a ceiling. She has painted the ceiling.

This is a difficult point in grammar, but these two verb forms do convey real differences in meaning, so anyone who wants to master English must learn them. Remind your students to read often in English so that they can learn "by osmosis" — unconsciously learning the language as they see it in use.
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The number who applied for the job (is - has been) 50.
I see no reason to use the present perfect here. I would choose is.
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"He says that he had dreamed of climbing the mountain since he was a toddler." (Secondary 2, unit 6) Is this sentence correct?
Yes, it is correct and it is an example of very natural language. The first verb is in the present (1) because the present is commonly used in journalism to report what is said in an interview or (2) because Omar says this whenever you ask him about his climbing. The second verb is in the past perfect because he is talking about something that happened in the past before his climb. The present perfect (He says that he has dreamed of climbing...) would not work here because the climb has already taken place. Thus the past perfect is used.
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Sec 2, unit 3 tapescript: "He's often told me to look on the internet because things are often less expensive online." Why does this use the present perfect tense? Could you explain it in detail please?
The present perfect can be used for something that happened at an indefinite time in the past, or for something that started in the past and continues to the present. Here I understand the speaker to mean that his father told him this (repeatedly) at some unspecified time in the past, and perhaps he is implying that he expects his father will continue to repeat the advice.
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Correct: I have finished my work at 8 o'clock last night.
I finished my work at 8 o’clock last night. You can use the present perfect for an unspecified time in the past. Since both last night and 8 o’clock specify the time, you have to use the simple past here
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What is the difference between (1) I went to Mexico last year. (2) I have been to Mexico in the last year.
This question was also submitted as a comment in response to another question (click here to see it) regarding the simple past and present perfect. The question as formulated above actually contains two elements that might be questioned: the difference between went and have been, and the difference between last year and in the last year.
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So I am assuming that the real question is about the difference between last year and in the last year and why one takes the simple past and the other does not, so I will answer about these sentences below:

(A) I went to Mexico last year.
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( I have gone to Mexico in the last year.
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In (A), the time period referred to is specific — 2008 (I am writing on 22 September 2009) — and also completed. It is conceived of as a point in time.
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In (, the time period is not specific. The time is any time in the last 12 months — from 23 September 2008 until 22 September 2009 — and in a sense it’s not completed until one year has passed. The time is conceived of as a span. I may have traveled on 30 January of 2009. That’s still in the last year, i.e., within the last 12 months, and I can continue saying “in the last year” up until 29 January 2010.
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They decided to get married last week although they ... each other for only five months. (have known - had known - know - would know)
The knowing took place before the decision, so the past perfect should be used: had known. That is how I would answer it in the absence of any more context.
However, a native speaker might use the present perfect if they know that the decision was made but the marriage didn’t take place yet (as if the sentence were “They’re going to get married although they have known each other for only five months”). So it’s possible that you would hear such a construction from someone.

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Is it wrong to say: "When have you come?" Must I say: "When did you come?"
Generally, yes, it is wrong to say When have you come? I can think of one or two contexts in which a native speaker might use the present perfect here, but 99.9999% of the time you must say When did you come?
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Sec 2 SB page 14, item a:4 "People have used many different things for money in the past, for example salt, coins, bank notes and plastic cards." Why is the present perfect used here, not the past simple?
This will be corrected in the next printing. The sentence should say People have used many different things for money, for example salt, coins, bank notes and plastic cards.
Without the phrase in the past, the present perfect is used because people still exist and still use different things for money.
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Is it correct if I say "I have lived in Cairo since four years ago" or we can't use "ago" with the present perfect tense?…
It is possible to say I have lived in Cairo since four years ago. The understanding here is that the beginning of the period was four years ago. Remember that we use since to talk about the beginning of a period.
However, this structure is rather rare, and it might not be recognized as correct on an exam. I think it would be better to avoid it and to say I have lived in Cairo for four years.
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I have been studying English ………… the last two hours. a) in b) since c) for d) during. I think the answer could be "in", "during" and "for". "Since" here is the only wrong item. All the other three items are possible answers in my view. What's your comment?
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For is the correct answer here.
We use in to indicate something that happened within that period, and we would not likely use it with the present perfect proressive as here. For example, The phone rang five times in the last two hours.
We use during to state the period of time that something happens or changes. We use for to state the period of time that something is happening (or we are doing something, as in the sentence in your question).
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Find the mistake: It has rained all day yesterday. Can the answer be: It has been raining all day yesterday.
No, that's not the correct answer. When you use the present perfect, you can't use a specific time. Yesterday is a specific time. You have to use the past simple: It rained all day yesterday.
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In the tapescript, Sec 2 TG page 318 review F, you wrote "It's years since we've been to England." Why did you use the present perfect after "since"? We teach students that we use the past simple in the clause that comes after "since". Please explain. Also what does the apostrophe "'s" in "it's" refer to? Is it "is" or "has".
Since does not have to be followed by the simple past. In a sentence such as It’s a long time/years since … , it is very natural to use the present perfect if the action is repeatable. The simple past is also possible.
(a) It’s years since we’ve been to England.
(b) It’s years since we were in England.

Both sentences speak of repeatable actions. Sentence (a) implies that the speaker was in England more than once in the past. Sentence (b) implies that the speaker was there only once in the past.

When the action is not repeatable, the simple past is used.

(c) It’s ten years since we cut down the elm tree.

The present perfect is also often used when the verb has duration.

(d) It’s ten years since we’ve known John.

In these sentences It’s means It is. If the sentences were It’s been years, It’s would mean It has.
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Sec 2 WB, Review E, page 91, sentence 8: If you had put the water in the freezer,it......to ice. a-turned b-turns c-would turn d-would have turned Isn't it a fact and the two verbs must be in the present?
It is a fact that water freezes when you put it in the freezer, and the two verbs should be in the present if you intend to make a simple statement of fact. But here the speaker is using the third conditional to talk to someone who didn’t put the water in the freezer. This might be spoken, for example, by a parent or teacher of a young child who wants to teach them about water freezing. Conditional statements such as this can also be used to teach facts. Or it might be spoken, for example, by someone who is complaining that someone didn't put the water in the freezer (If you had, we'd have ice by now), or someone who is happy that the other person didn't put the water in the freezer.
The EFL student must recognize that if the if-clause has a past perfect, then the result clause will have a modal plus past perfect.
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I know how to drive. I ... to drive. a)have learnt b)learnt c)had learnt d)will learn I think present perfect is for actions that happened in the past without determination of when they took place exactly. Is that right?
Yes, so the answer here is (a) have learnt.
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Find the mistakes, then write them correctly: "If she wasn't so shy, she would have got the job." Is it right to correct it as: "If she isn't so shy, she would have got the job"? My teacher thinks it would be right like that, as being shy is a part of her character so the verb should be used in the present. Thanks in advance.
Usually when the conclusion clause has a modal with the present perfect (would have got), the if-clause has the past perfect.
If she hadn't worn jeans to the interview, she would have got the job.
Is shyness part of her character, or was she shy only at the interview (perhaps from nervousness)? If you think it's part of her character, a permanent feature, the subjunctive could be used: If she weren't so shy… We use the subjunctive because we're talking about something that is not reality.

If you think she was shy only at the interview, the past perfect is the correct choice. Note that there is nothing in the sentence to indicate which case it is, and on an exam it would be better to write the usual past perfect.
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